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GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Broun spokeswoman Meredith Griffanti told the Athens Banner-Herald that Broun was recorded speaking off-the-record to a church group about his religious beliefs. He sits on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Originally Posted by Just_Believe18

At first I was like, "Meh, it wouldn't be the worst I've heard from the GOP." And then I read the second to the last paragraph...

I second your exact reaction... first I was like *shrug* (I've become pretty desensitized to this sort of nonsense by a certain type of GOP representative coming out of the wood work), but his committee appointment is a doosie...

I don't so much mind if you want to believe utter nonsense, but at least leave the committee appointments to someone pretending to have some knowledge in the area...

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Dr. Broun represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, which currently includes Athens (home of the University of Georgia), Augusta (home of the Augusta National Golf Club), and several smaller cities. After the 2010 Census, the state gained a 14th congressional seat and the boundaries were redrawn. Dr. Broun is running unopposed in the 2012 General Election. The Cook Partisan Voting Index for his district (based upon the 2010 Mid-term Election and prior boundaries) is R+15.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

And some wonder why the US could end up lagging behind other nations in science and technology.

Jack's response is a perfect example of why this is happening. Rather than Google and hit enter....the immediate response is that this is all just a liberal plot. And this is how young earthers and anti-scientists are allowed to occupy positions that they should not be permitted to.

The fundie christian talibangelicals are as medieval as their far right wahabist brethren in the tribal tents on the other side of the world. But in the US, there is absolutely no excuse for this. There is free access to more than enough information to knock their absurdist Biblical interpretations flat on the ground. The medievals could be excused for challenging new knowledge with their backward thinking. There is no excuse for challenging scientific proof with theocratic doctrine.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

What I still don't get it is how there is still all this religious bullshit about evolution, when pope johannes paul II himself already said that evolution is more than "just a theory" and does not contradict christian beliefs. In "Humani generis" even Pius XII already said that you can believe in evolution and be a christian (but keep certain things in mind).

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Nonsense. The link works fine.

You are just trying to cover over a knee jerk reaction to justified criticism of yet another GOP ignoramus trying to force his own ridiculous cult beliefs on an entire nation...enabled by people just like you.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Originally Posted by Corny

What I still don't get it is how there is still all this religious bullshit about evolution, when pope johannes paul II himself already said that evolution is more than "just a theory" and does not contradict christian beliefs. In "Humani generis" even Pius XII already said that you can believe in evolution and be a christian (but keep certain things in mind).

So .. again, what's the fucking problem?

He was speaking at a Baptist convention, so he's either one himself or of another denomination, but he's very likely NOT a Catholic.

Not all Christians think the word of the Pope is truth, some Catholics don't even like the changes that came from Vatican II.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Originally Posted by Corny

What I still don't get it is how there is still all this religious bullshit about evolution, when pope johannes paul II himself already said that evolution is more than "just a theory" and does not contradict christian beliefs. In "Humani generis" even Pius XII already said that you can believe in evolution and be a christian (but keep certain things in mind).

So .. again, what's the fucking problem?

The problem is that he would probably say the Pope comes from the pit of hell too.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Link certainly worked for me. I'm not often on board with the more liberal posters here but this guy and the religious right in the GOP are beyond appalling. A big part of the reason why while I'm no Obama fan at all I'm not hopping aboard the GOP wagon either.... mixing religious dogma and politics is a recipe for disaster. That he's on the science and technology committee is scary, since his world has no place for inquiry and discovery and progress.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Note: In looking for examples of scientifically unsupportable statements by members of the House science committee, every single anecdote involved statements by Republicans. Wired would be happy to update the article with examples of statements by Democratic members. If you have any, please add in the comments section.

"Thirty-one* states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons. In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible. "

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

^This is exactly the problem. I am more than willing to admit that both sides have folks that are "not so bright". But, as Bill Maher likes to point out dumb conservatives are a lot worse (and more dangerous) than dumb liberals. A dumb liberal is a lazy, pothead that that doesn't know anything and doesn't give a fuck. A dumb conservative, on the other hand, doesn't know anything, but chooses to believe utter baseless nonsense (and defend it) instead.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

Originally Posted by Corny

What I still don't get it is how there is still all this religious bullshit about evolution, when pope johannes paul II himself already said that evolution is more than "just a theory" and does not contradict christian beliefs. In "Humani generis" even Pius XII already said that you can believe in evolution and be a christian (but keep certain things in mind).

So .. again, what's the fucking problem?

To the religious blight, the Pope is the Antichrist.

"Thirty-one* states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons. In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible. "

Wasn't it this same congressman (a medical doctor, by the way) who told Akin that women's bodies shut down during rape and they can't get pregnant. Granted, I'm amazed that an MD thinks embryology (as taught in medical school) is also a "lie from the pit of hell". Maybe he should be a witch doctor instead of a medical doctor. Can these wackos get raptured, already, so the rest of us can get on with progress?

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

It IS terrifying. (Almost as terrifying how close this election is going to be...)

I can understand, (sort of) people of his ilk claiming that global warming is a "hoax".

But, to make a statement such as, "I don't believe that the Earth's but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible says."

When simple, indisputable scientific evidence showing that the earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Archaeological and dating techniques show it, as Giancarlo said reveals a simple-mindedness (or clever voter pandering) that is mind-blowing.

If we're going to rely on The Big Book of Jewish Fairy Tales as a basis for governing our nation, our problems are even larger than we thought.

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

But, to make a statement such as, "I don't believe that the Earth's but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible says."

I wish one of these idiots would come say that where I can be in the audience. I want to stand up and scream, "Oh, give me a break -- it doesn't say that at all!"

These guys don't even know how to read. They stick with a bunch of sloppy arithmetic by a bored medieval bishop who didn't have a clue about what he was doing.

"Thirty-one* states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons. In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible. "

Re: GOP Congressman calls evolution lie from "Pit of Hell"

^ It is the intellectual sloppiness or laziness that is most offensive.

I have a great deal of respect for those who appreciate that their idea of God and religion is bound up in poetics and abstraction.

I have no time for those stupid children who have a dull belief in the notion that the old testament is the literal word of their God.

Jesus Christ.

Are they just developmentally slow?

I remember challenging this literal interpretation when I was in Sunday School and winning the day by demonstrating that that it was not meant to be a literal reading. I was 12 at the time.

Idiots like this man make evil happen with their small and limited minds.

The worst part is...they are trying to get control of the public policy and discourse.

For the love of all that is right; please do not let this happen.

How did you demonstrate it wasn't meant to be literal? There are a couple of simple ways that don't require knwoing that the literary types in Genesis 1 & 2 aren't meant to be taken literally.

OTOH there are only small elements of what we would think of as poetic in them. But the Xtianists refuse to see anything poetic there... which suggests to me they lack poetry in their souls.

"Thirty-one* states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons. In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible. "